For most of the year in Geelong, high quality roof restorations are high in demand. Coupled with poor weather during the winter months that make restorations near impossible, decent roof restorers can get very busy during the warmer months.

This is results in the quality roofers being booked out and unavailable when you need them.

If you keep up to date with some DIY maintenance (see our post “Pointers On Roof Maintenance” for some DIY tips) and regularly carry out inspections on your roof, then you will be aware of the condition of your roof at all times. In the event you suspect any problems, then it is highly recommended that you call a professional roofer early so that by the time they get to you, your problem hasn’t gotten too bad.

If you’re planning for a roof replacement or a roof restoration, and live in the Geelong or surrounding areas, then plan ahead and call your local professional roofer early to give them plenty of time to schedule you in. No one likes to be rushed and to have an outcome that’s best for you and best for the roofer is to give the roofer plenty of time to schedule and carry out your work.

Whilst there are many great roofers in Geelong, there are also many not so great roofers who will charge cheap rates but carry out sub-standard work. Having a poor, or unqualified roofer carry out work on your roof can be a costly mistake as most professional, quality roofers do not like to come and fix others mistakes. Some of the professional guys will understand and rectify problems caused by others without causing any embarrassment to you however you still end up paying more for the job than if you had of got the right roofer in the first place.

For a professional and quality job, expect to pay a bit more than the average quote. You will find the higher quality roofers will also use higher quality roof materials, and will offer a respectable guarantee or warranty with their work. They will also be determined to do the job properly the first time so that you will have no need to call them back to rectify any problems which is usually the case with unqualified or dodgey roofers.

When the roofer inspects your roof and gives you a quote, ask them for some references. A reputable roofer will have no problems in passing on names of previous clients for you to contact and discuss their work – you will find the opposite with shonky roofers as they will be reluctant to pass on any references. Make sure to follow through with calling the references and be confident that the roofer you have chosen is professional and reliable.

Some roof restorers may even carry a portfolio of previous roof restorations for you to look at – just ask the roofer and they’ll be happy to show you.

Lots of property owners think twice before investing cash and time into a roof related project. It’s often the case of out of sight, out of mind. Issues with your roof, however, can snowball into many other issues.

In this post we discuss some DIY roof maintenance tasks, but we highly recommend using professionals such as Roof Restoration Newcastle who helped us compose this post.

A roof restoration and its implied roof repairs cannot be underestimated. It is a worthwhile exercise that should be carried out more regularly than not.

Think about it – your roof pretty much protects your entire building from all of the elements, not only does it protect contents of your home but also building components such as ceilings, internal structures, gyprock, walls, etc.

You can pick up early indications of problems if you carry out regular visual inspections of your roof several times per year. Consider calling a professional roofing company if you find missing or cracked tiles, signs of leaks on your ceilings and walls, and loose or dislodged ridge capping.

Regular DIY maintenance can help prolong the life of the roof.

Check all gutters for build up of leaves and debris and clean them all if necessary. Debris in gutters can restrict water drained and result in overflowing of water to areas of the roof you don’t want water in.

Inspect the roof, checking for foreign items that could be creating an obstruction such as tennis balls, soccer balls, frisbies, etc. Remove any of these items if found as they can alter the flow of water in heavy rain periods.

Check materials made of metal are well coated with paint and do not have exposed bare metal which can rust away within a few years requiring replacement.

If you have a tiled roof, look for any dislodged tiles which can be put back in place. If you find some, carefully manoeuvre them back into place without disrupting the surrounding tiles. If you cannot put them back into place without too much trouble, please consult with a roofing professional. Likewise, if you find any cracked or broken tiles, consult with your local roof restoration company.

If you have a colorbond roof, check for loose sheeting or missing screws. If you’re handy enough, you maybe able to fit new screws where missing and ensure the colorbond sheeting is well secured.

Check any roof vents are clear of debris and are clean. Look around the vent and carefully check the sealant that has been applied, looking for signs of deterioration. You may have to visit your local hardware shop for some roof sealant (make sure you go for high-grade / high quality sealant) to carry out simple repairs if you find the sealant worn.

In summary, simple tasks such as those suggested above carried out regularly, may save you thousands in the long run. Please take caution when climbing up on the roof, and if you have any doubts at all about what you are doing, please consult a professional roofing company.

Our post is solely intended to give ideas about roof maintenance and we in no way recommend you get on your roof if you are not a roofing professional and not qualified to do so. Please assess your own situation carefully and make your own judgement about what DIY maintenance you can confidently carry out.

A roof restoration can do wonders for your home or commercial property. A roof that is dirty or worn out will decrease the looks of your home and ultimately decrease the value of your home. In addition, any problems that exist with an old, worn out roof could be allowing internal damage to occur.

A roofing company we recommend in the Campbelltown region is Roof Restoration Campbelltown and a reputable company such as this will carry out a professional inspection of your roof and be able to provide you with an estimate for a roof restoration.

More importantly, the expert roofers will be able to quickly identify any major issues with your roof and report them back to you. This will help you make a decision on the action you need to take. Holding off and delaying any repairs to a faulty roof will end up costing you more in the long run.

Most of the roofs in the Campbelltown area are either metal roofs or concrete tiled roofs. The majority of homes are quite old and so are their roofs thus most are requiring attention in some form. The roof restoration process will identify issues that need repairing, will clean dirt, lichen and moss from your roof, and will include painting and sealing the roof.

This process will transform your roof from an old worn out roof into a brand-new looking roof. Your home will never look better!

In addition, the roof restoration process can include identifying issues with your guttering system. Faults in your guttering can also cause internal issues if water is leaking or overflowing into areas of the house it shouldn’t be. A gutter replacement can be carried out as part of the roof restoration.

We have found that home owners really appreciate being able to chose a new colour for their roof as part of the restoration. Some home owners elect to stick with the existing colour and some like to pick a new colour. Roof painting will be carried out as part of the job and can be applied to concrete tiles and metal roofs.

In summary, the advantages of a roof restoration include;

100% improves the aesthetic appearance of your home

Will increase the value of your property

Removes years of build-up of lichen, moss and dirt

Includes rectification of any faults, e.g. broken tiles, repointing, etc.

Roof replacement jobs are either straight forward, hassle free or can be complex with a multitude of problems to solve. Either way, a roof replacement is generally hard work for the roofers and needs to be planned out carefully to minimise problems.

A new roof can be extremely rewarding for you, the property owner. Wether your planning on changing roof materials, changing color or both, your home will be the envy of your street. Not to mention the value added to your property.

I recommend seeking the services of a roofing professional before making any decisions, especially if you are thinking about changing roof material type. There are cases where the roof structure may not be able to support the material you are after and an inspection by a professional roofer will help assist making this decision.

For the typical roof replacement job, the process will include;

Removing and disposing of the old roof material

If required, repairs are carried out to the internal roof structure

Battens are fitted or adjusted if required to suit the new roof

Sarking can be fitted and any other internal roof work

The new roof material is laid

Ridge capping will be re-bedded and re-pointed

Sealing and caulking

Expenses of a Roof Replacement

Generally, a concrete tiled roof will be the least expensive to replace, followed then by a terracotta tiled roof and finally a colorbond roof.

A simple roof with double or single pitches, and has easy access will be cheapest. A property with steep pitched roofs, and a hard to access site will be more expensive. In addition, the height of the roof will affect the costs.

Most professional roofers will include the following in their quotes for a roof replacement;

Disposing of the original roof material

Costs for materials used for the job

Costs for labour

And expenses for the final tidy of the property

A New Roof Can Save You Money

A new roof, roof replacement or re-roof will is no doubt a large investment, one that most people wouldn’t have the money sitting around for.

However it’s worth noting that there are several monetary advantages;

Your roof won’t leak anymore thereby ceasing to deteriorate internal structure and contents which can be expense to repair/replace

Insulation can be addressed and upgraded at the time of the roof replacement saving you money on cooling and heating costs

A new roof will add value to your property not to mention aesthetic appearance increasing the marketability of your home

Problems that are small now will get worse over time and more expensive to fix.

Here we have included a video recorded by GCTIPS to give you an idea of what the process of replacing a roof looks like. Note that there are many types of roofs from many different countries around the world and your roof maybe completely different and require a different process to the one in this video.

Just how much attention do you pay to the top of your house? A great deal of property owners might not even know what type of roof they have and how important it is to the overall structure of their property.

In this first blog post, I attempt to briefly outline some helpful indicators for you to lookout for with your roof which may help you identify any issues early.

As with many aspects of life, small issues with roofs will wind up being big issues and obviously more expensive issues. It’s wise to address things early.

Some of these items might indicate your roof could do with attention such as a roof restoration, roof clean and roof paint, or worse case roof replacement.

1. Visual Appearance

Given that the roof contributes to such a large overall area of a building, it has a significant impact on the overall appearance of your home. An old roof that is looking tired and worn out will detract from the building’s appearance and also possibly decrease the value of the property.

The roof of a building has a particularly demanding role as it is the main defense against the outside elements. It’s no wonder that time can render a roof looking tired and worn.

A professional roof restoration job will, among other things, remove dirt, lichen and algae from the roof, and also includes painting (or sealing) the roof. The result being an affordable way to have your roof looking new again and refreshing your home’s overall looks whilst possibly increasing the value.

If your roof exhibits any of the following, you might consider a roof restoration;

The roof is so discolored you’re not sure what the original color was

Covered in mold, lichen, algae and dirt

Broken and/or dislodged tiles

Missing tiles

Ridge capping that is showing signs of wear

Rust (in case of a metal roof)

Lifting and/or unsecured roofing sheets (metal roofs).

2. Broken, Displaced and Missing Tiles and/or Ridge Capping

You should check your roof carefully and regularly for broken, displaced and/or missing tiles and ridge capping. In the case of metal roofs, check for roof sheets that are unsecured, loose or mis-aligned.

Any of these issues could represent problems that worse than aesthetic appearances. These issues could allow water into the building which can be harmful to the interior of the building.

If you discover any of the above issues, call a roofing professional sooner rather than later. Most roofing companies will be happy to inspect your building and give you advice on what needs to be done and most will also provide you with a free estimate.

A roof restoration will include carrying out repairs to the roof and obviously a roof replacement will eliminate any repairs required.

3. Internal Assessment

After you checked your roof from the outside, you should continue to on to check the interior of your building for signs of roofing problems, particularly if you were unable to check outside thoroughly due to access issues.

Make sure you cover your entire building, go from area to area, look completely at the ceilings, walls, cornices and examine that there is no discoloring that may indicate a water leakage. If you see any mold, this can also indicate the presence of moisture in the roof interior that may have been caused by a leaking roof.

4. Extend the life of your Roof

A roof restoration can be carried out much more cheaply than a roof replacement and if done professionally, will increase your roof’s lifespan. This is because the roof will be cleaned, then painted (aka sealed) with a minimum of 2 coats of protective paint. This protective paint would have been applied to your roof originally, but over time and with having to hold up to the elements, would have deteriorated.